Brake lever structure



Dec. 16, 1952 B. J. POWELL BRAKE LEVER STRUCTURE Filed NOV. 24, 1947 2SHEETS-SHEET 1 SHEET? 24::

BqR/VET J. POWELL :4 If E Dec. 16, 1952 B. J. POWELL BRAKE LEVERSTRUCTURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1947 BURNET J. POWELL PatentedDec. 16, 1952 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAKE LEVER STRUCTURE BurnetJ. Powell, North Chicago, Ill., assignor to Houdaille-Hers'heyCorporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan ApplicationNovember 24, 1947, Serial No. 787,713

This invention relates to improvement in brake lever assemblies and moreparticularly concerns assemblies of this character which are especiallyadaptable for use with the emergency brakes in automobiles or the like.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved,simplified and efficient brake lever assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brake lever assemblyembodying improved supporting housing and ratchet guide and detentstructure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet rodsupporting structure for brake lever assemblies including a novel rodguiding arrangement.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved ratchetrod guiding and detent assembly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a brake leverassembly an improved, simplified supporting housing and guide structureadapted to be made principally from simple sheet metal stampings andenabling high speed, economical mass production manufacture andassembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel pivoted ratchetrod guide assembly and supporting housing therefor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved quietlyoperating guiding and pawl and detent controlling assembly for a ratchetrod in a brake lever assembly.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved smallincremental detent and ratchet control for the operating rods of brakelevers, and more particularly straight pull brake levers.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will breadily apparent from the following detailed description of certainpreferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanyingtwo sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a brake lever'assembly, and moreparticularly a straight pull brake lever assembly, embodying features ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is a handle and. elevational view of the brake lever assemblyof Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, partiallyin elevation and partially in section, and taken substantially on theline IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on a reduced scale takensubstantially on the line VIVI of Figure 3; and

' 9 Claims. (01. 74-503) Figure 5 is a sectional view, similar to'Figure4, but showing a slightly modifiedconstruction.

In the brake lever assembly as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, andwhich comprises what is known as a straight pull brake lever, a ratchetrod It has a manipulating handle [I at one end and is connected at itsopposite end to a brake actuating lever I 2. A supporting and guidingstructure I3 which may conveniently be mounted on a portion of thevehicle with which'the assembly is associated, such as a dash panel I4,is of such a character that when it is desired to set the brakes, suchas the emergency brakes of the vehicle, the handle H is adapted to begrasped and the ratchet or pull rod l0 pulled toward the personoperating thesamefor actuating the lever 12. The latter is appropriatelypivotally mounted on the vehicle with which it is associated and isconnected to the brakes of the vehicle throughthe medium of the usualcable in a manner which is well known, and for that purpose has not beenspecifically illustrated.

A connection between the rod [0 and the lever I2 is effected by meanssuch as a clevis l5 pivotally connected to the end of the lever l2 as bymeans of a connecting pin I6 and appropriately secured to the adjacentend of the rod.

The pull rod [0 is preferably cylindrical in cross section and isreciprocably guided and controlled by means of a guide device I! whichis formed up as a tube and may be made from an appropriate piece ofsheet metal bent to tubular form and with adjacent edges in abutment,preferably at thetop of the assembly, as shown in Figure 2. v Formedintegral and in one piece with the guide tube l1, and preferably asupward extensions of the sides of the tube H, is a spaced parallel pairof attachment ears [8 (Figures 3 and 4) which are connectedthrough themedium of means such as a pin or rivet E9 to a supporting casing orhousing which, in the present instance, comprises complementary similarplates or shell halves 20.

The supporting housing shell halves 10 are formed preferably as sheetmetal stampings spaced apart to provide a chamber therein and formedwith complementary rear, edgewise opposing, spacer flanges 2| resting inabutment in assembly and held thus by lower spacer pads 22 inset fromthe planes of the respective major Walls of the plates and securedtogether as by means of a rivet 23. While the flanges 2| cooperate toprovide a rear wall for the housing, the front of the housing is leftopen.

At their upper margins the plates 20 are formed with coplanar oppositelylaterally projecting respective attachment flanges 24 which areappropriately secured as by means of rivets to a top cross plate 21having the intermediate portion thereof spanning the space between thehousing shells and inset as at 28 for rigidity and centering purposes inassembly. Appropriate apertures 29 in the attachment flange and crossplate assembly afford passage for the shanks of attachment screws orbolts 30 by which the assembly i secured to the under flange of the dashmember I4, a reinforcing washer plate 3| being disposed at the upperside of the dash panel flange whereby to clamp the dash flange betweenthe upper plate 21 of the housing assembly and the washer plate.

Since, in the operation of the brake lever assembly, the pull rod ID init operative relation with the lever l2 describes, in addition to itslongitudinal movement, a range of arcuate movement, substantially asindicated in full and dash outlines in Figure 1, provision is made foraccommodating the arcuate movement. Herein, this is accomplished byhaving the attachment ears I9 of the rod guide tube pivotally supportedby the rivet pin l9 so that the rod guide tube I1 is adapted to swing inthe arcuate movements of the rod. In order to afford full clearanceof'the tube IT with respect to the adjacent inner faces of the sideplates or shell 20 of the supporting housing, the walls of thesupporting housing where they are engaged by the rivet pin [9 are formedwith appropriately apertured insets 32 (Figures 1 and 4) which affordspacer pads opposing the adjacent attachment ears l8 and maintaining thetube I! in spaced relation to the side plates. In addition, the frontspacer flanges 2! of the side plates are-formed with a verticallyelongated, mutually provided slot 33 to accommodate the swingingmovements of the rear or handle portion of the pull rod.

Forward movement of the pull rod 89 in the fully released condition ofthe brake is limited by a stop pin 34 carried by the handle portion ofthe pull rod and engageable with the rear end of the guide tube i7serving as a stop abutment.

Finely incremental brake setting adjustment of the pull rod lU-iseffected 'by a ratchet and detent arrangement including'a series ofratchet teeth 35 formed in the rod 10 cooperable with a series of detentelements, in the present instance comprising three balls 3 associatedwith guide tube 11. Each of the detent balls 31 is constrained tooperate through a circular detent opening 38. The detent openings 38 aredisposed in equally spaced longitudinal series calculated with respectto the length of the respective ratchet teeth 35 to effect a 3-to-1incremental adjustment of the brake lever pull rod Ill with respect toeach of the teeth 35. Each of the detent balls 31 is constantly biasedresiliently into ratcheting relation toward the ratchet teeth 35 meanssuch as respective coiled compression springs 33.

Means for retaining the springs 39 comprises a spring housing structureincluding-a pair of sheet metal'shells 40 of identical complementaryformation cooperating to afford spring pockets 4|. To this end, each ofthe shells 40- is of a formation to engage one side of the rodguide'tube H in snugly embracing relation 'and is formed with a flangearrangement "extending generally radially with respect tothe tube l1 andpreferably abuttingface-wise with the like flange of the companion shell40-and secured adjacent to the respective opposite ends as by means'ofwelding 43. Intermediately, the respective flanges 42 are appropriatelyconfigurated, each to provide one-half of the respective spring pockets4| by means of respective offsets which,

intermediate the spring pockets, are defined by laterally extending wallflanges 44 abutting edgewise in assembly to enclose the pockets 4!. Thisconstruction is best visualized in Figures 3 and 4. The spring pockets4! are, of course, coaxial in assembly with the detent apertures 38.

In addition, the spring housing plates or shells All are preferablyformed with ears 45 which are generally coextensive with the attachmentears ii! of the rod guide tube and are appropriately apertured inregistry with the ears l8 for passage of the attachment and pivot rivetpin l9 (Figure 4).

From the foregoing, it will be observed that all of the parts going intothe assembly of the brake lever structure are adapted to be manufacturedby known or preferred mass production methods of manufacture, and thatassembly can be easily and quickly eiIected also by mass productionmethods. The housing comprising the side shells 28 can be assembled intoa sub-assembly unit. The rod guide tube and spring housing assembly canbe fabricated as a separate unit, and "the detent balls and biasingsprings loaded thereinto. Then the pull rod H3 and the guide tube anddetent assembly may be assembled together. 0n the other hand, the guidetube and detent assem-' bly can be assembled through the front openinginto the chamber in the completed housing afforded by the platesor'shells 23, 'andthepull rod lfithereafter assembled.

In operation, when it isdesired to set the brake with which the brakelever assembly is associated,

the handle I! is grasped and drawn rearwardl'y' by the operator of thevehicle, thus swinging the setting lever i2 rearwardly,the pull rodlfl'being maintained in any preferred condition of brakesetting'adjustment byinterengagement of the ratchet teeth 35 and thedetent elements 3?. For

comprising an arrangement in association with the attachment clevis I5by which the pull rod is attached to the brake actuating lever i2.cordingly, the forward end portion of the pull rod 18 isrotatablyassociated with the clevis liand has a connecting and rotation limitingpin 47:

(Figure 1) projecting fixedly laterally therefrom and operable in arotation limitingslot 48in the clevis, herein arranged so that the pullrod I ll can be swung in a counterclockwise directionby'the operatormanipulating the handle '1 i. For biasing the pull rod it} normally intothe ratcheting position thereof, that is, with the ratchet teeth 35 inoperative relation to the detent elements;

a torsion element comprising a helical spring 49 is provided having oneend attached to the'clevis I5 and the other end attached to the pullrbefm as by insertion thereof into a transverse boreill in the pull rod.Thus, when the pull rod ifl is turned for releasing it from the detents,the torsion spring 45 is loaded, and promptly upon release of theturning pressure on the pull rod turns the pull rod back to itsratchetingposition as limited by the pin 47. I

In the modification of Figure 5, only one important difference exists,and that has to do with sound deadening the structure so that when thepull rod i9 is drawn rearwardly to set the brake, the vibrationsincident to click of detent .elements is? advancing over the ratchetteeth 35 will be deadened and thus prevented from being noisilyamplified by the dash :panel l4 acting as a sounding board. Accordingly,all details of construction of the device may be identical with the formjust described with the exception that side plates 25 of the supportinghousing which, in all other respects, are identical with the side plates29 of the housing in the first-described form, are straight throughoutthose portions thereof which oppose the pull rod guide tube H and thespring housing shell structure so, and more particularly where theattachment rivet l9 engages the plates 20; On. the other hand, theattachment ears l8 and d of the guide tube and detent spring housingstructure may be inset toward one another slightly more than in thepreviously described form whereby to aiiord a substantial space betweenthe respective adjacent inner faces of the side wall panels or plates 26of the supporting housing, In the respective spaces are disposedresilient sound-deadening elements 5|, herein shown as resilient rubberwashers maintained under compression between the plates 20' and theadjacent faces of the ears 45' concentric about the attachment rivet pinl9. Thereby, the sound-deadening elements 5| serve as spacers and alsoas vibration and sound-deadeners or dampers.

t will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a brake lever assembly of the character described,a shell structure providing a housing having a chamber therein includingspaced parallel walls, a ratchet rod, a guide and detent assembly forsaid ratchet rod including a structure having parallel projecting ears,the outer dimensions between said ears being less than the spacingbetween said parallel walls, and a securing pin extending between saidwalls and through said ears, said walls having means disposed at theportions defining the area thereof engaged by said pin and servin asspacers engaging said ears to maintain the guiding and detent assemblyin generally spaced relation to said walls.

2. In combination in a brake lever assembly of the character described,a shell structure providing a housing having a chamber therein includingspaced parallel walls, a ratchet rod, a guide and detent assembly forsaid ratchet rod including a structure having parallel projecting ears,the outer dimension between said ears being less than the spacin betweensaid parallel walls, and a securing pin extending between said walls andthrough said ears, the pin having resilient vibration damping meansthereabout between said ears and the adjacent walls.

3. In combination in a brake lever assembly of the character described,a support structure providing spaced parallel members, a ratchet rod, aguide and detent assembly for said rod,

said guide and detent assembly having a portion thereof providingoppositely facing surfaces respectively disposed in opposed spacedrelation to said parallel respective members, means pivotally connectingsaid portions and said members, and a resilient cushioning and soundabsorbing washer interposed under compressionbetweencach of saidrespective portions andthe opposed member.

4. In combination in a brake lever assembly ofthe character described, asupporting structure, a ratchet rod, a tubular guide'membergfor saidratchet rod, said guide having at an intermediate portion thereof a pairof spaced parallel ears projecting laterallythereof to one side of theguide and" rod axis and disposed in spaced opposition, a shell memberembracing said'tubular member and having matching earsabutting the outersidesof said tubular member ears; said shell member having detentpockets, with detent elements housed in said pockets and cooperatingwith said guide member for ratcheting engagement with said ratchet rod,said matching ears being pivotally secured to said supporting structure.l e

5. In combination in a brake lever assembly, a pull rod supportingstructure including a pair of sheet metal shells having along oneportion thereof edgewiseabutting spacer flanges and at another portionthereof means securing the shells together while at a generally oppositeportion from said means a pair of oppositely extending coplanar flanges,a connecting plate secured to and between said flanges, and a pull rodguide assembly pivotally secured within the chamber provided by saidshells and with the pivot spaced from the guide axis adjacent to saidlaterally extending flanges and with the major portion of the guideassembly disposed movably between the pivot and said shell securingmeans.

6. In combination in a brake lever actuating mechanism, a housingcomprising a pair of shells each including a side wall and an inturnedangular rear edge flange, the side walls being in spaced parallelrelation and the flanges being in edgewise abutment to maintain thespaced relation in order to provide a chamber within the housing, eachof said shells having a top laterally extending flange for attachment ofthe housing to a support, the lower portions of the shells being insetinto face-to-face abutment and secured together, said abutting rear edgeflanges having an aperture therethrough, a brake actuating ratchet rodreciprocable and rotatable within said housin and through said aperture,a rod guiding and detent structure within said housing comprising aguide member carrying detent means and having attachment ear structurepro jecting therefrom toward the top of the housing assembly and away.from said inset portions of the shells, and means pivotally connectingsaid ear structure pivotally between said side walls for swingingmovement of the guiding and detent assembly with the rod on an are belowthe pivot.

7. In combination in a brake lever assembly, a ratchet rod, a tubularguide for the ratchet rod disposed coaxially about the rod, a pluralityof ball detents carried by said tubular guide and adapted for operativecooperation with the ratchet rod, springs biasing the detents intoengagement with the ratchet rod, said tubular guide having a pair ofears projecting therefrom to one side of the guide and rod axis anddisposed in spaced opposition, a supporting housing for said guide anddetent assembly, and a pin disposed on an axis spaced from andtransverse to-the guide and rod axis pivotally securing said ears tosaid housing, said guide and detent assembly including a shell having aplurality of pockets supporting the biasing springs for said balldetents and including ears matching said first mentioned ears and havingthe pin extending therethrough for maintaining the shell and guideagainst axial displacement.

8. In combination in a brake lever actuating mechanism, a ratchet rod. atubular guide member rotatably and reciprocably slidably supporting theratchet rod, shell means carried by the tubular guide including detentstructure operatively engaging with the ratchet rod, portions of thetubular member on the side thereof opposite the detent structure beingstruck out from the tubular member and projecting therefrom in planessubstantially parallel to the axis of the rod and providing a pair ofears disposed in spaced opposition, said ears being of substantialextent away from said rod and having journal means disposed on an axisnormal to the axis of the rod and spaced laterally substantially fromthe rod whereby the mechanism is adapted to be plvotally secured to asupporting structure, said shell means having ears thereon engaging saidpair of ears and holding the shell means against rotation relative tothe tubular guide member.

9.. In combination in a. brake lever assembly of the characterdescribed, a ratchet rod, 2. supporting; housing adapted to be attachedto an instrument panel or the like of a vehicle with which the assemblymay be used, said housing providing a chamber having spaced apart walls,a guide and detent assembly for said rod mounted within said chamber andhaving spaced attachment ears projecting upwardly therefrom, said earsbeing disposed in spaced opposition to said walls, and spacer meansdisposed at the inner sides of said Walls and engaging said ears tomaintain the ears and thereby the guide and detent assembly in spacedrelation to the walls.

BURNET J. POWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 838,541 Hicks, Jr. Dec. 18, 1906984,594 ORourke Feb. 21, 1911 1,713,842 Link May 21, 1929 1,803,937Jansson May 5, 1931 2,274,133 Fergueson Feb. 24, 1942 2,295,782 JandusSept. 15, 1942 2,304,356 Heller Dec. 8, 1942 2,329,158 Gill Sept. 7,1943 2,329,722 Jandus Sept. 21, 1943 2,377,691 Jandus June 5, 19452,522,540 Sandberg Sept. 19, 1950

